5 Calming Energy Tips for Parents and Kids

Energy Healing, Healing Touch, Health Tips, Wellness for Children, Wellness Tips

Have you ever noticed that when you are anxious, upset, or unsettled, your little ones, even your tweens and teens are often fussy, upset, and anxious too? There is more than a little truth in this pearl of wisdom – ‘When Mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.’ ( You could substitute ‘Daddy’ in this old saying too.)

In a household, everyone lives within a sea of energy. Everyone’s personal aura (or energy field) overlaps and picks up information from everyone else’s energy fields.

Because of this, children sense the energy of the emotions, thoughts, and feelings you are radiating. Sensitive children may also absorb them and take them on as their own.

Children sense the mood of each person around them picking up on impatience, joy anger, fear, depression, unhappiness. In this way they are learning from the adults and other children around them.

Energy doesn’t lie! You can’t pretend to feel something you don’t feel on an energetic level in order to protect or shield your children from these emotions. If you try to put a happy face on your sadness, anger, fear, or other emotions you might not want to share, your kids will see right through that. They will be able to sense the disconnect between what they are experiencing about you and what you are communicating to them on an energetic level.

Ways to help…

If your kids are nervous, anxious, upset, fussy, first take stock of your own energy and take care of yourself. How are you feeling?

Where do you feel your emotion in your body? Is your heart tight, your throat constricted, your stomach full of butterflies, your gut unsettled? Are you nervous, anxious, stressed, unable to sit still or focus for any length of time?

Have your kids do this too. This can help them develop emotional literacy skills.

First, bring your awareness to your body and locate your emotions (throat, heart, etc). Give them loving attention while breathing deeply. If you don’t have time to do this practice, move on to some of these calming exercises and try the emotional processing when you are ready.

Do these yourself, then teach these easy exercises to your kids! They can help you calm stress and anxiety so you will be more on top of your game, more present in your body, and your children will react more peacefully to your calmer energy.

Getting Grounded

Pretend to be a tree with deep roots. Breathe in the Earth’s energy through your imaginary roots. Let it fill your feet legs hips and trunk, then reach your branches up to the sunlight. Take several deep breaths pulling the air from your deep roots to your stretching branches over head. Imagine soaking in the sunlight through your leaves to fuel your growth and pulling water up through your roots to nourish you.

Heart hold and tone:

When feeling stressed or anxious, hold your heart chakra with both palms on the center of your chest. Let your awareness drop down into your heart. Take a few deep breaths while holding your heart. Now continue holding and make an AH sound at a pitch that you can feel in your heart. Keep going until you feel a shift in your energy, or mood.

Figure eights:

Make figure 8s with your arms, swinging them out and around and crossing the center-line of your body. Swing your hips too if you like. Draw them in the air in front of your head, your neck, your upper body, lower body, legs, feet. Make them any size you like.

for areas of pain or tension, try Tiny figure 8s directly on the body using your fingertips. you can also draw them large on a chalkboard, whiteboard or sidewalk, using your whole body and getting your arms into it. Kids love this! This also helps strengthen your aura. (Eden)

Calming head hold:

When the fight or flight response kicks in; when you feel panicky or fearful, hold your forehead with one palm, and the base of the skull with the other. Hold and breathe for several minutes until you feel calmer and able to think more clearly. (Eden)

Self hug – two variations:

Put the fingers of your right hand in your left armpit. Hold your right bicep with your left hand. Hold and breathe while for a bit until you feel a shift in your energy. Switch sides and hold again. (Levine) Another variation – hold the outside of your elbow with one hand and with the other hug your opposite side under breast level about midway between your waist and armpit. Switch and do the other side. ( Eden)

Sources: Eden,Donna; Energy Medicine: Balancing your Body’s Energies for Optimal Health, Joy and Vitality; 2008.

Levine, Peter A.; Healing Trauma: A Pioneering Program for Restoring the Wisdom of Your Body; 2008.

A fun way to energize yourself and your kids!

Life Tips, Shamanic healing, Uncategorized, Wellness for Children, Wellness Tips

Do you want to get everyone, children and adults lined up to clean the house or rake the yard?

Are your kids out of sorts because they’ve been sitting down too long?

Are you feeling low in energy, lethargic, or dull after a big meal?

Try taking a family drum circle break to get everyone energized, their sense of humor restored, and back on track.

We started our make-shift drum/ rhythm circle slowly, one person beginning, then everyone finding their way in, weaving and blending their rhythms with the others. Some stayed seated, some stood and began to move. This seemed to wake everyone up again – some were dancing, marching and singing to the beat as they rattled, drummed, or shook the tambourine.

This was so much fun! We laughed and enjoyed ourselves and each other.

As a bonus, you might do a project to make your own rhythm instruments.

Make an easy rattle by partially filling a plastic bottle with rice or dried beans. then Tape the lid shut. You can click two pencils or short dowels together. Click two stones or pot lids together. Turn a bucket or large sauce pan over and use as a drum with a wooden spoon. You won’t need any fancy gadgets or electronics!

Try making a kazoo from a toilet paper tube with a hole punched close to one end and a square of wax paper or parchment paper rubber banded over the other end. Hum your favorite tunes into it!

Even if you’re alone, you can raise your vibrations by making rhythmic beats in fun and playful ways. Create a rhythm that feels good in your body and continue until your energy has shifted and you are feeling lifted up.

You might also find a drumming track and try some dancing and moving around in ways that feel good to you and express what you’re feeling. Do this for yourself and no-one else. Sing if you like!

Remember, you and your family don’t have to be great dancers or drummers to energize yourselves and have fun. Everyone from babies old enough to hold a rattle to great grandparents can join in the fun!

The interconnected rhythms with unique beats and movements contributed by each person can tie us together, feed our spirits, anchor us in the present moment, and energize our bodies.

Let the rhythm sound and movement carry you and your family to the place you want to be.

6 Tips to Help You and Your Children get Grounded

Healing, Shamanic healing, Wellness for Children, Wellness Tips

When my third grandchild, Nicholas, was born, I spent two weeks in my daughter and son-in-law’s home to help take care of my two older granddaughters. While we cooked, played, went for walks, visited museums and parks, my daughter recovered from her c-section, rested, and bonded with her new baby while her husband went to work.

Since I’m used to living a quiet calm life and meditating often, spending lots of time with these bright, talkative, and rambunctious kids, their friends, a tiny yappy dog, and heavy city traffic, resulted in me becoming grumpy a few times.

When this happened, my granddaughter, Caity, 7 years old at the time, would say, “Grandma, you need to hug a tree!”

As much as I tried to hide my momentary vexations with the boisterous kids who were always trying to push the envelope of what Grandma would allow- (“Oh, yes, Grandma, Mom allows me to watch YouTube cake decorating videos for hours every day!”) Caity and her older sister, Faith, could see right through me.

Energy doesn’t lie. Kids especially can see through attempts by adults to put a happy face on less than happy feelings. I would have to admit they were right: Every time I was feeling grumpy they nailed me on it!

Our next move was to pile in the car and drive to a wooded park with a small lake and go straight to the nearest friendly tree for a much needed grounding hug. We hugged a lot of trees that summer! This helped us all get grounded and feel present in our bodies again. Plus it seemed to drain my grumpiness away.

After that the kids would run around and holler with their outside voices to their heart’s content, play on the playground, climb trees, or walk the nature paths. I always felt better and much more grounded and present to the children after visiting the park with the wonderful trees. The kids were able to settle down as well.

In Donna Eden’s 2008 edition of her book, Energy Medicine, she states “Your body needs the Earth’s electromagnetic field.” “…In addition to the iron in your blood, all life forms contain tiny [microscopic] crystals of magnetite, a natural magnetic mineral comprised of black iron oxide. This magnetite continually registers changes in your relationship to the Earth’s electromagnetic field and helps orient you to that field.”

In other words, our bodies are evolved to live within the Earth’s magnetic field. The author cites incidents in which Japanese workers and Russian Cosmonauts were completely separated from the Earth’s magnetic field and suffered health consequences – insomnia, decreased energy, aches and pains, loss of bone density. p 316

In our world we are increasingly disconnected from the earth and nature. We are exposed to toxins in our air, water, food. Screens and shiny electronic devices are hijacking our time and attention, anxiety is on the increase. We often overthink our challenges, living in our heads and feeling separate from our bodies.

When we or our children are out of sorts, feeling anxious, disconnected from our bodies, overwhelmed, unfocused, grounding helps us reconnect to our power source, planet Earth.

You can do these grounding exercises along with your kids. They are meant to be fun!

1. Hug a large deeply rooted tree or sit and lean against the tree’s trunk. If you’re feeling adventurous, climbing a tree and spending time in the branches is grounding too because the tree’s energy is fully grounded, deeply connected to the electromagnetic energy of the earth.

2. Pretend to be a tree. First ask your kids to imagine their tree self has weak or shallow roots and a big wind comes along… what happens?

Now pretend to be a tree with deep roots. Breathe in the Earth’s energy through your imaginary roots. Let it fill your trunk, then reach your branches up to the sunlight. Take several deep breaths pulling the air from your deep roots to your stretching branches upward. Imagine soaking in the sunlight through your leaves to fuel your growth and pulling water up through your roots to nourish you.

3. Play in nature, walk barefoot on a beach or a grassy yard, lay on the ground and check out the clouds, tree branches, flying birds, moon or stars, soaking in the Earth’s magnetic energy. (use bug protection if needed) I promise, you will feel better!

4. Rub the soles of your bare feet with a stainless steel spoon. (One a magnet will stick to.)

6. Swim in the ocean, a lake or pond

When your you or your kids feel spacey, out of body, anxious, agitated, unfocused, grumpy, take a few moments to ground yourself. Bring awareness to your body and heart, breathe deeply, and connect with your power source, Mother Earth.

7 Benefits of Energy Healing

Energy Healing, Healing, Healing Touch, Spiritual Healing

Scientists studying the nature of reality know that everything is composed of energy including our bodies and environment. Every human being has an aura which is an energy field surrounding us, similar to the atmosphere surrounding the Earth. Energy healers can sense the subtle energy, the auras and chakras of other people, through touch, sight, or other senses.

At a subtle level, our aura, chakras, meridians, and other energy systems support our physical, emotional, spiritual, and mental health. If our energy is not flowing freely or is out of balance, we will eventually feel it in our bodies and we may become ill in time.

Here are 7 of the many benefits of energy healing.

Calming for stress and anxiety –

Energy healing is wonderful for natural stress relief, for calming the nervous system and helping your body and mind relax without the use of drugs. It is not a cure, but helps ease anxiety and quiet distracting mental chatter, gently re-patterning your energy system into healthier habits.

For stress relief, I clear stale energy from your aura, open and balance your chakras using gentle touch, allowing your energy to flow more freely. Special attention is given to those areas of the body where you hold the most tension allowing for relaxation and release of the stresses you’ve been holding onto.

Relief for fatigue and energetic depletion.

Energy healing is chakra healing. Your chakras may be compromised – not spinning properly- therefore not able to pull in the energy your body mind and spirit need to feel fully alive, energetic and healthy. Opening and balancing your chakras can bring new energy and vitality to your life and areas of the body affected by blocked chakras.

Energy healing is also aura healing – The electromagnetic energy in a healer’s hands along with a strong intention for healing can help clear the aura of stagnant energy, allowing fresh energy to flow and respond more freely to the ever changing conditions of your life.

Holistic care (mind body spirit, emotions) for high stress transitions or major changes in your life – a move, divorce, new job, new baby, or the loss of a loved one.

Energy healing techniques, such as mind clearing, chakra spread, chakra connection, heart chakra healing, and many others can help during times of high stress by calming anxiety and feelings of uncertainty and fear.

These techniques promote relaxation, release of energetic “clutter” and emotional pain. Energy healing can help you feel more energized and clear during uncertain times.

Heart chakra healing and energy clearing for times of grief, times you feel broken-hearted or overwhelmed.

This does not make grief or strong emotions magically go away, but helps you experience grief and strong emotions with less depletion in mind body, spirit and emotions. Energy techniques can help you feel more present in your body and help you navigate this difficult time with greater calm clarity and grace. During these sessions, I hold sacred space for you to be and feel what you need to feel.

Support for trauma care and emotional release.

When you are healing from trauma, an energy healer can be part of your support system – along with your medical doctor and counselor, therapist, massage professional, etc. An energy healer will gently re-pattern and clear your energy so it remembers how to flow freely, how to be balanced and open.

My energy healing practices allow for the safe release of emotions and stagnant energy relating to the trauma in my peaceful supportive and sacred space. This work helps you gently release the tangled energies of the past over time, and move on with your life.

Subtle energy assessment, healing, and clearing for times you are not feeling well and your doctor can’t find anything wrong.

This happened to me – I had a chronic sore throat and fatigue one summer. My doctor did many tests over weeks and couldn’t find a reason for my condition.

An energy healer was able to help me get back on track by opening and balancing my chakras, especially around the throat chakra, and clearing blocked energy in my aura. I was sensitive enough to feel the imbalances in my system while it was still in my subtle energy field. This was before the condition progressed to the point where the medical testing would have discovered something measurably and physically wrong.

If no-one believes your story, if you are not taken seriously, if you know something is wrong but the medical professionals can’t figure it out, consider energy healing as a complement to your doctor’s care.

Complement cancer care with aura clearing and chakra balancing.

Using energy healing techniques, I help clear and balance the aura and chakras of cancer patients after chemo treatments and surgery (which can be very hard on your subtle energy systems). Energetic pain relief techniques can provide an easing of pain without extra drugs.

Energy healing can keep your energy flowing after and between treatments, supporting emotional release, mental, spiritual, and emotional health. Finally, with deep listening, I hold sacred space for you as you work through your healing journey.

These are some of the many ways energy healing can benefit you and your loved ones and enhance your well being. My clients have found this work to be effective, helpful and life affirming.

7 Reasons to Consider Shamanic Healing

Healing, Healing Touch, Shamanic healing, Shamanic Journey, Shamanism, Spiritual Healing, Spiritual Wisdom

Shamanic healing is a powerful ancient method of receiving information and healing energy from spirit for the highest good of yourself, another person, or your community. This information may come through symbolic stories, images, and messages that can reveal new perspectives on your life and situation.

Practitioners channel energy and information from spirit helpers that is unique to each individual. Shamanic healing works with the spirits in all things to restore balance, harmony, and wholeness to your life.

Shamanic healing can complement your work with therapists and other health care professionals. It works with the spiritual aspects of illness and other obstacles in life.

Have you felt empty, off balance, or lost since you experienced a trauma or injury?

Are you at a crossroads in life, unsure about your direction, unable to make a decision?

Do you have energy that does not belong to you?

1. You feel something vital is missing in your life or that part of you died when a loss or trauma occurred.

Soul retrieval provides spiritual healing for soul loss. This is a process by which the practitioner works with spirit helpers to find your lost soul essence that left during a traumatic event and bring it back so you can be whole in spirit again. In addition to soul retrieval, shamanic journeys for healing and healing with spiritual light can help shine light on the spiritual aspects of soul loss.

2. You feel powerless at times

Was your power stolen from you by a family member, partner, stranger, friend, or co-worker? Did you unknowingly give your power away to someone? Did another person misuse and abuse your trust? Power retrievals locate and restore your lost or stolen power through the guidance of spirit helpers.

3. You feel that you have energy that does not belong to you, that is holding you back or overshadowing you.

This might include thoughts, feelings, emotions, or physical sensations that are out of character for you. There may be an attachment, or disembodied spirit that has been attracted by your light depleting your energy and life force. This is a common occurrence in our culture since we no longer “tend the gates of death” and help disembodied spirits cross to the light as was the custom in ancient times.

Compassionate Depossession is a gentle process in which the misplaced spirit is contacted, their concerns are heard, healing is given, and they are taken out of the living person’s energy field and sent to the light where they belong. This creates a win-win situation for the person who is seeking relief and the disembodied confused and lost spirit who can now move on to their next adventure.

4. You are at a crossroads in life, not sure how to move forward, what choices to make.

Journeys for divination (answering questions) can bring through images, stories, symbols, words, and knowings that give you new and different perspectives on your life and the situations you face. Journeys can show you possibilities you never expected or thought of. The information contained in journeys are unique to the individual receiving them.

5. Tough problems seem to be stuck in the cells of your body, are persistent and difficult to shift. These issues may come from the lives and unresolved problems of your ancestors or from your own past lives.

Past life work or ancestral healing may be called for in these situations. We often carry the burdens of those who’ve gone before us and who have not been able to reconcile or heal their guilt, shame, anger, or fear before death. For Ancestral healing, the practitioner and spirit helpers travel into the past and look into any traumas in your ancestral lines that may have been the cause of the toxic patterns you wish to clear. For past life traumas that you may be re-experiencing in this life, spirit helpers discern what happened in the past and do clearing and healing as would be done for issues in this life.

6. You have a feeling that you or your family have been cursed in some way

Curses are thought forms, beliefs, and patterns of thinking and being that can be passed from generation to generation and affect your life adversely. Curse unraveling locates the originator of the curse, often the reason for the curse, the toxic energy of the curse and and removes it from all who’ve been affected since the curse was made. This sometimes involves many individuals over many years who’ve been affected.

7. You sense that there are wandering spirits, (aka ghosts) or “negative” energy in your home or a space that you frequent.

Space clearing is a process of discerning if there are spirits inhabiting a space, locating and communicating with them, and helping them find their way to the light where they belong, assisting them in vacating the house, building or space where their presence causes disquiet.

After the spirits are cleared, the space can be cleansed further with spiritual light, sound vibrations, a smudge ritual. Often the story of the spirit or spirits will come through. They usually have a reason to stay behind in a particular place. They are often stuck in their own emotions and fears and can’t move forward without help.

Shamanic healing is effective, drug free, life affirming, and promotes wholeness in mind body and spirit.

If you are overwhelmed, feel cut off from your body, if you are seeking spiritual guidance, shamanic healing may be a good fit for you.

For Empaths During the Pandemic

Empath, Empath Care, Energy Healing, Healing, Healing Touch, Health Tips

If you are an empath – sensitive to the feelings vibrations and emotions of others- you may be experiencing a great weight of anxiety stress and fear from the world’s population during the coronavirus pandemic

It may feel like low level rumblings, crushing anxiety or huge fatigue. However you experience the collective angst of many millions, it is important for you to recognize and release what is not yours so you can take care of yourself.

First, ground yourself by walking barefoot on the Earth or rubbing the soles of your feet with a stainless steel spoon. Rub your hands together to build up energy, then make figure eights throughout your energy field, close to the body, off the body, larger, smaller, tiny, in all directions. This will strengthen your aura, the protective energy field around you.

Now ask that any emotions feelings and thoughts (all energy) that belong to others drain through your feet into the earth for recycling. (The soles of your feet have chakras that can take on or release energy, but that is a topic for another post.) Do this as needed throughout the day.

It is enough to take care of yourself and your families, to manage your own life, your own situation as best you can. It is not your responsibility to feel the emotions of others, to take on their fears and emotional burdens. It will not help them learn to be emotionally healthy, and it will distract you from your life and add stress and anxiety where it is not needed.

Yes, as human beings, we must have empathy for the plight of others. Caring and kindness define what it means to be human. So do what you can to help others within the constraints of your energy level, your financial means, your emotional limits and personal boundaries, your level of health and vitality, your time.

Most of all, take the best care of yourself you can. Live simply and remember the basics: healthy food, plenty of water, enough sleep, fresh air, exercise, connections with others in safe and healthy ways during this pandemic.

Be safe, we will get through this!

Are You An Empath? 3 Self-care tips

Empath, Empath Care, Energy Healing, Healing Touch, Health Tips, Life Tips, Storytelling, Wellness Tips

You are probably an empath if…

…you absorb the and take on the feelings and emotions or physical symptoms of others, making it hard to tell what’s yours and what’s theirs.

…you feel drained and/or anxious in big box stores, noisy crowds, hospitals, libraries, etc.

…you get sick or exhausted, depleted, anxious or angry after encountering certain people.

One beautiful summer afternoon I sat on my front porch reading. A delivery truck pulled into my driveway near where I was sitting. Immediately my body was flooded with high anxiety!

As I tried to make sense of this sudden shift in my emotional state, My logical brain decided the anxiety could be explained because I didn’t know the truck or the driver, hadn’t ordered any services or furniture… It was an unexpected intrusion into my peaceful day. Then the driver got out of the van, took a bouquet of flowers to my neighbor’s house and drove away.

The anxiety stayed with me even after the van left. After a few minutes of this, I decided to do some discernment and energy testing. I stood up, tuned into my body and stated “This anxiety is mine.” My body responded by falling toward the back, which in self energy-testing terms is a “no”. Now the anxiety made sense. As an empath, I’d picked up the high anxiety of the van driver.

Now that I knew the anxiety wasn’t mine, I asked this energy to drain through my feet into the earth for recycling. I had no more need to feel this feeling. It was detracting and distracting from my peaceful day. Draining the energy away works when you are well grounded, in other words, plugged into Earth energy.

This method of clearing yourself works because emotions and feelings are composed of energy. Each of us holds our thoughts feelings and emotions in our auras, otherwise known as energy fields. The stronger and more charged the emotion of another person, the easier it is for a nearby empath to pick it up. Our auras also seem to be more porous than the energy fields of non-empaths, allowing in energies others would easily filter out.

As a life- long empath I’ve learned some easy ways to keep myself clear of the moods, emotions, feelings, and energies of others that I have not specifically invited in. Here are 3 of the most helpful techniques I use daily.

Three ways to keep yourself clear as an empath.

1. Stay grounded

Two easy ways to get grounded are rubbing the soles of your bare feet with a stainless steel spoon, and walking barefoot on the Earth. When you feel agitated or nervous, when you can’t settle, ground yourself. Getting grounded allows you to plug into your power source, Earth energy, and pull this energy into your body.

Think of an electric lamp. If the lamp is not plugged in, it can’t light up, no matter what you do. When you are plugged in, your energy is more coherent, you feel anchored to the earth in a healthy way, and you can discharge excess energy through your feet.

2. Strengthen your aura

An easy way to keep your aura strong and less porous is to make figure 8 patterns with your hands, fingers, arms, body. First rub your palms together for a few seconds. Now, make the eights tiny, make them huge, on or off the body, in your aura, up and down, sideways, diagonally. Let your hands go to areas that need extra attention. (This technique is from Donna Eden)

Have fun with this! Kids love it! Think of this exercise as reweaving or sewing your loosely woven aura together again with the electromagnetic energy of your hands. This will help your aura filter out the energy of others and draw in the energies of health, well being, and harmony. Figure eights are also very calming!

3. Set boundaries with other people, your life energy, your time.

You may need to set boundaries and withdraw from large events, big crowds, or stay away from certain people. You may not want to hug Grandma or a church acquaintance. It may be in your best interest to stay home from a big family holiday or reunion and wait for a time you can meet your favorite relatives one on one.

Trust your intuition and give yourself what you need. Taking care of yourself as an empath is vital! Please don’t judge yourself for needing to set boundaries in ways others might not understand. Be kind and loving to yourself and tell others no when that is in your best interest.

If you do not take care of your needs, you may get resentful, energetically depleted and perhaps even sick. Take ownership of your life and your energy so you can focus on your own projects, your own life without getting sidetracked by the strong emotions of family and random people.

Gifts of empaths

We empaths can bring great sensitivity and caring into a world that needs our gifts. We are often the healers, therapists, clergy, the spiritual advisors, teachers, the plant and animal whisperers, the artists in our communities.

Tune into your purpose as an empath. Take care of yourself. Own and honor your gifts! Share them when you are ready. You are needed here!

It is not easy to go through life as an empath! But it is possible to live your life in a manner that will truly honor your gifts and your needs for boundaries so your life experience is truly your own!

Why learn shamanic journeying?

Connect with spirit, Healing, Shamanic healing, Shamanic Journey, Shamanism, Spiritual Healing, Spiritual Wisdom, Spirtual Guidance, Web of Life

What are shamanic journeys? Where did journeying come from?

In the worldview of shamanism, every thing and every living being on our planet has a spirit. Shamanic journeying is a practice developed before recorded history for humans to connect with and learn from the spirit world.

Receiving accurate and valid information and acting on it meant survival in those harsh times. In turn humans learned to offer respect to the spirits who helped them by creating ceremonies, dances, works of art, rituals and offerings to honor them.

Why ask the spirits for help?

The compassionate helping spirits who work with humans have access to a much wider perspective on our lives and everything that has happened, is happening and will happen. They understand and witness the amazing and constantly shifting web of life and energy that connects all beings.

The spirits are always with us and they have always been with us, waiting for us to ask for their help. Journeys tap into this wellspring of compassionate spiritual information that is freely shared with us out of a wish to be of service. The well of spiritual information and guidance never run dry! There is constant revelation of new finely tuned information for those who ask.

Why learn to journey?

Journeys are still relevant to our lives now, many tens of thousands of years after the first person discovered they could connect to the spirit world.

We no longer fear as much for our physical safety and survival. Yet, even as we have access to medical care and miracle drugs, smart phones, comfortable and reliable heating and cooling of our homes, a stable food supply, easy transportation and communication, we face challenges in our individual lives and our collective societies undreamed of by the first shamans who painted on torch-lit cave walls.

We can use the time honored practice of shamanic journeying to ask the spirits for help with our current personal challenges; our emotional, mental, physical and spiritual health, our relationships, families, children, our jobs, life decisions large and small…

We can also journey for practical information about how we can help in reweaving the web of life – healing the larger challenges of our planet – environmental problems, economic troubles, widespread poverty, epidemics, pollution, violence…

How can journeying help me? Several stories…

Practical advice

I was having a hard time deciding on how to organize one of my longer classes. Fresh new ideas and inspirations were needed to make my class more interesting. In a journey, I asked for a sign from nature. The next day on my walk in the woods there was an huge spider web lit by the morning sun. I knew in my body and heart that was my sign! It showed me how to organize my class in an effective way that had never occurred to me.

Shift in perspective on the everyday dilemmas of life:

When you can’t figure something out from your normal daily perspective, the spirits can show you another way to look at things. A client asked about her difficult relationship with her daughter-in-law. She was shown some information that helped her understand the younger woman better and allowed her to create a more fulfilling and peaceful connection with her.

Spiritual messages can that help shift your focus.

C had been diagnosed with a deadly form of cancer. She was having a hard time with her diagnosis and the treatments were making her sick. Then she received a message from spirit that came through in a journey– “Your soul is indestructible.” That message changed everything for her. She was able to carry on while maintaining a sense of peace and acceptance about the truth of her situation, knowing she was so much more than her body.

Healing Energy

When I journey with an intention of healing for others, my spirit helpers often fill the physical body and aura with divine light and beautiful rainbow colors. I see and feel this beautiful light and color filling every cell and energy particle of my client. There is no effort involved. I simply ask and the person on the table receives. This healing energy can shift a person’s mood and thinking to a more peaceful place, helping them feel calmer and more centered. The journeys end with thanks to those spirits and helpers who have worked with my client and me.

When you connect to the spirit world from the heart with sincerity and integrity and ask respectfully for help you will receive advice, guidance, insights, and healing. – It won’t necessarily be what you expect, but it will be finely tuned to your needs and your level of understanding right now.

What is healing?

Healing, Healing Touch, Shamanic healing, Spiritual Healing, Spiritual Wisdom

Healing means trusting and stepping into the unknown from the well-worn, the comfort zone, the tried and tired old ways of being.

Healing means a change, a movement toward wholeness in your life. Healing means letting go of old stale harmful beliefs, self harming thoughts, energy patterns that no longer keep you safe or comfortable.

Healing means gathering your courage, looking honestly at your life and facing facts, then realizing you can transcend and grow and release what seems to hold you back, what seems a bedrock fact of your life.

You can hold a vision for what you want your life to become and begin your movement toward that, one step at a time. There is no need to rush! Hold your vision to your heart. No one can take it from you!

Healing is letting go, healing is allowing yourself to open to new possibilities and ideas and visions that harmonize with the core of who you really are. Healing brings your true self into focus.

Healing is not the same as curing. They are two separate things. Curing means the abolishment, the erasing of illness or disease. Healing is the movement of your spirit, heart, and mind toward your own clarity and light.

Healing is a gentle opening to your wise and true self, a letting go of all that blocks your spirit. If you are alive on this planet, in a body, you can heal.

(Dear readers, this post has been borrowed from my channeled blog, askgrandmothercottonwood.com)

Your first energy healing session – What to expect

Energy Healing, Healing, Healing Touch

Getting to know each other

So, you’ve decided to try energy healing… Maybe you want to calm anxious thoughts, relieve stress, ease insomnia, receive support for grief… Whatever your reason for coming, you are welcome here!

Welcome to my healing room!

When you come for your first energy healing session, we get to know each other a bit, and discuss your intentions for health and healing. We zero in on your goals for this first session in particular. I ask about any concerns you have, any history you would like to share with me about your health- emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual.

Feel free to ask me anything about myself if you like. If you’ve never had energy healing, I’ll describe the process in as much detail as you want.

Remember, its normal to feel nervous before receiving energy healing for the first time!

Your comfort is important!

When you feel ready to begin, I’ll have you take off your shoes and lay on your back on the massage table, fully clothed. If you feel chilly, there are plenty of warm blankets nearby, and you can have a bolster under your knees for comfort. You can choose to use the grounding pad if you like. Soft and peaceful music plays in the background.

Permission to touch

Before we begin, I ask for your permission to touch you. If you prefer not to be touched, I can do the energy healing work off the body, in your energy field. Of course, distance or remote healing is always an option as well if that serves your needs better. (For this post, I’ll describe the session as though you are here in person)

Photo courtesy of ABMP

To begin

The session begins with me gently holding your shoulders (if you have given permission to touch). In this way, I tune my awareness to your subtle energy.

While holding your shoulders, I also ground myself and align with source energy, bringing myself fully into the present moment.

Energy assessment

Next, using my pendulum, I check your major chakras, from your root chakra at the base of the spine to your crown at the top of your head. The assessment lets me know which chakras are spinning properly and which seem sluggish or blocked. This is valuable information regarding your energetic health.

Then, using the palms of my hands, sometimes inches and sometimes more than a foot from your body, I scan your aura, also called your energy field, from head to toe. I may sense areas of heat or coolness, dense energy, a tingling, a prickliness, or lack of energy flow…an energy spike…

Communicating

During the session if you feel any discomfort, have a question or an insight, please let me know. The healing techniques can be adjusted if needed. I may have a question for you as well..

Relaxing

It’s natural to feel yourself beginning to relax as the session gets underway. If relaxation is difficult for you, don’t worry. Its a skill you can learn over time as you continue to receive healing sessions.

As you relax, I gently balance and harmonize your chakras and clear your energy field with my hands. My intuition guides me to the areas that need attention and the techniques that will be most helpful for you.

Photo courtesy of ABMP

Your experience

Each person experiences energy healing differently. You may feel energy moving through your limbs and body, a tingling, a bubbliness, slight feelings of pressure. You might see colors and even have a spiritual experience.

You might feel a need to make sounds or express a truth you’ve kept in for a long time. You may cough sneeze or yawn a few times. Your stomach may gurgle… It is all energy moving!

Emotional release

You may also experience an emotional release while on the table. This is a natural and vital part of the healing process!

This may be something you’ve been holding onto for a long time and the time is right for release. It’s important that you feel safe to experience and release emotions as part of your healing process.

Ending the session

After the energy healing, I check your chakras and aura again to make sure your energy is open and flowing. Then I gently smooth your lower legs and feet, grounding you and bringing you back into the here and now. You hear a singing bowl chime to end the session.

You can slowly begin wiggling fingers and toes, gently stretching your body as you need to, and sitting up. If you like, I can smooth your back and shoulders before you step down from the table.

Now is a time for sharing our mutual experience. If you want to talk about the session and what you felt and saw you can do that now. I also let you know what I discovered during the session. There may be some homework and guidance for self care.

What to expect after the session

Its normal to feel calmer and more relaxed after your session. You may feel lighter and more energetic as well.

In the following days

One possible side effect of your first energy session may be what is called a “healing crisis”. Energy work can release toxins into your blood stream to be cleared away.

If the bloodstream gets overloaded, you may feel a bit under the weather for a day or two as the toxins clear out. Drinking lots of water and getting plenty of rest will help. Once again, this is part of the healing process.

You may also experience further emotional release in the days to come. This is normal and healthy! Sitting in meditation and allowing the feelings to come up can be helpful.

photo courtesy of ABMP

The healing continues

Be gentle and kind with yourself. The healing continues long after your session ends. If you need extra support and care, we can do further energy work. If you’re in crisis, weekly or twice a month energy healing might be needed until you’re feeling stabilized again.

Also please consider seeing your therapist or counselor if you need help processing your emotions. Visiting with a trusted friend can also help as you heal in mind, body, emotions, and spirit.

Energy healing is an unfolding process. The healing begins within your heart and mind as you set the intention to improve your health and well-being.

Sincerely,

Betty

What integrative healing topics would you like to hear more about? I’d love to read your comments!

What are your intentions for healing?

Healing Touch, Shamanic healing, Spiritual Healing

What quality of life do you desire?

What are your long and short term goals for healing?

Do you feel it is possible to reach your goals for health and well-being? Do you feel it is OK to ask for and receive healing?

What is intention and why it is so powerful?

Many years ago I wrote down this quote: “Intention is aligning your heart and mind to a single purpose.” (Unfortunately, I don’t remember where it came from.)

I love this definition of intention. The visual image it brings to me is a person lit up like a straight and true column of white light with no bending, wavering, warping, stooping, or veering off center.

When your head and heart are in agreement with your desires – with no doubts or indecision- you become a powerful force in support of your aspirations in life. Instead of pushing or begging or pleading with the universe for what you want, you align and attune with it energetically via intention, imagination, visualization, and feeling.

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What feelings will you feel when your desires manifest?

Can you see a picture of yourself in full robust health? What would that feel like? Do you believe that you can have this? Do you feel worthy to receive it?

Let yourself imagine what you want using all of your senses. This make your intentions even more effective.

Specific intentions help focus your healing sessions effectively

When you come to me for energy healing and shamanic healing we begin by considering your goals for health and well-being, what you want to bring into your life, what you want to release.

Creating your intentions

Think about the problems and limiting beliefs that you’ve been grappling with. Now think about what you do want in life. Think about how you want to feel. Dream! Can you put these inner feelings, longings, and dreams into words?

Make your intention statement positive. Make it about what you do want, not what you don’t want. For example, “I intend to feel calmer and more peaceful in my life” will be more effective than “I’m sick and tired of feeling anxious.”

When you feel that the words and phrases ring true in your heart and mind, you have created your intention. You can do this on your own or with another supportive person in your life. It can be a powerful exercise!

Real life examples of healing intentions

I want…

…spiritual and energetic healing for trauma and abuse

…to release energetic blocks that hold me back in life,

…full recovery from an accident, including spiritual healing

…to feel lighter, calmer, and happier in life

…to receive energy healing and spirit guided support during cancer surgery, treatments and care

…to reduce physical and emotional stress in my life

…spiritual healing and energy healing support for my mental health.

Spiritual healing and energy healing work in partnership with your medical care, mental health care, and other healing modalities.

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Short term goals support your intentions

A goal for a single session might be to calm anxious thinking, or to release a part of the emotional baggage you’re holding onto, to regain equilibrium after a long stressful trip, to clear and balance your energy, to reduce physical or emotional pain energetically, to receive spiritual healing for a pattern of behavior that does not serve you…to gain insight and spiritual guidance for family problems… the possibilities are endless!

Each individual healing session becomes a stepping stone toward fulfillment of your intentions

When you create a strong intention and hold a powerful goal for healing in your heart and mind, energy healing and shamanic healing can help you make progress toward your desires.

How can energy healing help me?

Energy Healing, Healing, Healing Touch, Spiritual Healing

If you’re considering trying energy healing or new to the concept, here are a few basic facts I’ve learned over my years of doing this work.

We are all made of energy.

Our thoughts, feelings, emotions, physical bodies are all composed of energy. Our living cells respond to our thoughts, beliefs, intentions, and feelings. Our emotions send us messages important to our lives. This energy is meant to move and flow. It is the stuff of life!

When we try to bury an emotion, ignore a pain, hold on to the past, judge ourselves for thoughts we have or for feeling the way we do, our energy can get congested and build up like clouds in the Earth’s atmosphere before a storm. When this build up of stuck energy becomes overwhelming, it may lead to physical problems. Barbara Brennan who wrote the energy healing classic, Hands of Light, states that all disease and disharmony begins in the energy field.

Photo courtesy of ABMP

Layer by layer, at a pace that is right for you, energy healing helps you release these clouds of stagnant energy that have built up in your energy atmosphere, (your aura) and find clarity, balance, and harmony underneath. Many of my clients report feeling much lighter after a session.

Energy healing also works with the chakras, the subtle energy centers of your body.

Each of us has seven major chakras, each governing a different area of the body, from the crown of your head to the base of your spine. They are meant to spin freely, but if one or more are sluggish or blocked, your body is not getting the energy needed in those areas. If a chakra is chronically blocked, this could result in physical problems over time. By clearing and balancing the energy centers so they are open and spinning properly, your body has access to more energy and responds with renewed vigor and well-being.

Energy healing is holistic.

You are seen and treated as a whole person, not just a bundle of physical symptoms. Your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual dimensions are all taken into account and honored throughout the healing process. We are complex beings, and there is no one-size-fits all cure for anything! Everything is connected!

Energy healing, in partnership with your medical care and mental health care can help you reach your goals for health and well-being.

Physically, energy healing can help you gently ease pain without drugs, relax tension and stress, clear the effects of drugs after surgery or cancer treatments, accelerate healing of wounds, natural tension-headache relief , and much more. When needed, I refer clients to medical professionals.

Emotionally, the energy healing process can support you by creating a safe and sacred space for you to feel your feelings and release them when you are ready. Based on your intention, it can also calm energetic patterns of fear and anxiety. By providing acceptance for your feelings and your healing process, you are gently guided toward self love and self compassion. Many of my clients see mental health professionals as they work their way through tough emotions.

Mentally, energy healing can help you by bringing unhelpful patterns of thought and belief to your awareness. It can help promote mental clarity by calming and relaxing the mind. Many people that come to me for healing report “overthinking” or “monkey mind”. Energy healing can help you get out of your mind and into your heart and this helps you feel less anxious. Energy healing also helps bring in fresh new energy to your life, new ways of looking at your life, and new insights.

Spiritually, energy healing can help you by strengthening your connection to the divine. It can help you open up and trust the intuitive information and spiritual guidance you receive and allow you to see your life’s problems from a larger perspective. Energy healing can help make room in your mind, body, spirit, and life for growth and expansion into the person your higher self knows you to be.

Photo courtesy of ABMP

This work does not provide an easy pill that will magically take your problems away. It is an unfolding process that works in divine time – when your heart and spirit are ready. The healing begins within you when you hold a strong intention to heal your life.

Energy healing is not a substitute or replacement for your mental health care and medical care. It can complement your care along with other forms of integrative healing such as acupuncture and massage.

You can’t escape from your energy. To heal your life, you must transform it!

For more information or to schedule a session go to my contact page and send me a message. I’d love to hear from you!

Blessings for your journey!

Meeting and working with your spirit guides

Connect with spirit, Healing, Healing Touch, Power Animal, Shamanic healing, Shamanism, Spiritual Healing, Spiritual Wisdom, Spirtual Guidance

Do you need higher level help solving the baffling problems of your life? Do you know that you are never alone? Have you ever felt the presence or received the guidance of your spirit helpers?

We are all surrounded by compassionate loving spirits that offer us their support, advice, and guidance, protection and wisdom. I’ve learned as a shamanic healer that no one is ever alone, that we are constantly encircled and supported by these loving beings, and that they will provide help and guidance if asked respectfully. Our spirit helpers and angels will share their wisdom and show us what we need to know for healing, empowerment, and peace of mind.

Dragonfly

All human beings have the capacity to connect with the spirit world and receive help. We have been doing this since before recorded history. In the words of my teacher, it is “in our DNA”.

Shamanic healing is based on our human relationship with the spirit world. You can connect with your helping spirits when you let your body and mind relax and settle down, let go of the busyness, stress and constant chatter, the monkey mind of everyday living.

To Connect:

Create sacred space in your home. Make it relaxing and inviting. Clear all clutter, clean away dust, strike a chime or bowl to clear the energy of your space and set the tone. Make yourself comfortable.

You might put on soft instrumental music and close your eyes. Now sit comfortably and ask inwardly to meet one of your helpers. When you begin to relax, you might see a scene unfolding in which your guide appears. You might hear spoken words, you might feel their loving presence.

Your guide may appear in human form, or as an angel, a mythical creature, a beloved grandparent or ancestor who has crossed to the light, an animal, bird, insect, a bubble of light, a plant or tree… Be open to any possibility and accept who comes to you without judgment.

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My Grandparents, both spirit helpers for me

Greet your guide. Ask them a question you’ve been mulling over. Thank them for their presence. Feel the emotions they radiate. Even if you see or sense nothing, act as if your guide is there and hears you. (If you meet a being who appears to be a guide, but is mean, nasty, demeaning, it is not your spirit guide. Stop the exercise and try again when you are feeling better.)

Formulate your questions:

Your asking for help and guidance is the key to receiving it. If you are skeptical, if you expect your helpers to know what you want without taking the time to form a relationship, without thinking seriously about your questions, you will be disappointed.

To get started, ask them about themselves and how you will work together. After you’ve set this groundwork, you can ask your guides anything. Ask for what you want. Go right to the heart of your dreams and desires and start there.

Ask respectfully and with humility. I like to use the phrases “Show me more about…” “Show me what will happen if…” “What is needed now to heal this situation…? If you keep your questions open ended, you won’t shut down the possibilities that might occur otherwise.

Try to avoid asking your guides to predict the future with pinpoint accuracy. Because you are a being of free will, your free will interacts with all possibilities in the universe and these possibilities can generate many different conceivable outcomes for you.

The compassionate guidance you receive is to be taken seriously and acted upon. Perhaps you receive guidance to have more fun, to lighten your heart. Now it is up to you to decided how to do this. Use your intuition. What ideas are flowing into your mind as you think about this? Consider them all, do not dismiss the guidance you receive.

Orange butterfly on elderflower

Always express your thanks and gratitude for the guidance you receive.

Of course, if you are advised to make drastic changes, you must take it slow, test what you have been given against the conditions of your life, and move forward at your own pace within your comfort zone.

Connecting with your guides is like a prayer, a heart to heart conversion, or a soulful experience with a wise, loving, compassionate spirit that cares deeply for you and your well-being.

Working with spirit guides can change your life in amazing ways. Remember to take your guide’s advice to heart, open your mind to new ways of thinking and acting, and trust the advice you are given.

How soul retrieval can help you feel whole again

Healing, Healing Touch, Shamanic healing, Shamanic Journey, Shamanism, Spiritual Healing, Spirtual Guidance

Do you feel as though part of you is missing?

Do you feel like it is an effort to “get it all together”?

When someone has suffered a traumatic event, loss of a family member, accident, illness, or a distressing situation, they may have experienced soul loss. If you have ever said the words “I’ve never been the same since…” or “part of me died when…” you may have experienced soul loss.

A soul part can also be stolen – as when someone takes your power, bullies, or abuses you.

A soul retrieval is a shamanic journey that locates and restores this lost or stolen soul essence to the client. The power and gifts that were lost with the soul essence are returned as well. This can be a very moving and life-changing spiritual healing experience.

Often, the symbolic pictures and stories of a soul retrieval journey show the soul essence as a child or young person, or the age they were when the event or injury occurred. I have also brought back soul parts in the symbolic form of precious gems.

Winter bird’s nest

Please come with me as I take you into the heart of a soul retrieval. (This is an excerpt of a soul retrieval my helpers and I did several years ago.)

…my spirit helpers, power animals and I enter journey space and travel along a wide stream. At a shallow place, we cross the river on stepping stones and climb up the steep bank. A nearby fence row is full of dead leaves. One of my power animals sniffs the decaying leaves and noses them aside.

I come over and begin to dig with my hands. Under the matted leaves is a little 4 year old girl with blue eyes and short dark hair – a soul part who left my client many years before because she felt deep shame when her father treated her in a humiliating way…

After a deep healing and cleansing, this soul essence was ready to return to my client, so she could be whole again. The little girl brought the gifts of fun and play, easy happiness, and self confidence back to the woman who had lost this part of herself so many years ago….

I blew the soul part into my client’s crown and heart and sealed in the healing by rattling around her 4 times. In the next few days, my client contacted the soul part and asked 5 questions to begin the integration process:

Why did you leave? Why do you come back now? What do you want? What can I do to sustain this healing? What gifts do you bring?

After a soul retrieval it is common to spend some time getting re-integrated with your newly returned soul part. They bring with them the fullness of who you were at the time they left you. It is a tender time of getting to know each other again, of remembering, of learning to be whole again, of reclaiming the inner child or young person you once were.

You may dialog with your soul part and let them know about your life in the present. It is important for healing and integration to listen and try to do what the soul part asks of you. If her or she wants to play, sing, swing, swim, run, paint fingernails…skip stones… etc, see if you can allow yourself to do these things in an easy and comfortable way adapted to your present life conditions.

Lost or stolen soul parts return when you are ready for the healing, wholeness, renewal and new energy they will bring to your life.

Blessings, Betty

The healing gift of Compassionate Depossession

Energy Healing, Healing, Shamanic healing, Shamanism, Spiritual Healing, Spirtual Guidance

Compassionate depossession is one of the cornerstones of shamanic healing. Spirits who are trapped in this dimension and can’t move to their rightful home can cause problems, at times quite unpleasant.

With the help of my spirit guides, these beings are located, contacted, and helped to cross safely to the spirit world (or what I call “the light”). Possession is a common occurrence in our culture where the spirits of our deceased are not often thought of or cared for after the body dies.

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Who are possessing spirits?

Some spirits or “suffering beings” are not able to find their way to the light after death. For instance, if a person died in an accident or during a violent act, they may be confused, disoriented, lost, and afraid. Others may choose to stay behind to help loved ones, or because they are afraid to move to the next dimension. Suffering beings I’ve worked with have come from many sources including war zones, hospitals, crime and accident scenes, funeral homes, and old buildings.

What is possession?

When a suffering being is attracted to a living person they may become attached to that person’s energy field. The attached suffering being can become something like a parasite, feeding from the host’s energy and sapping their strength and overshadowing their energy. When this happens, the host can experience any number of symptoms. They may feel that they have thoughts, feelings, compulsions, and emotions that don’t belong to them. They may experience fuzzy thinking, emotional problems and addictions. They may feel that they’re going crazy.

A win-win healing scenario.

During a compassionate depossession, the suffering being, or possessing spirit is contacted, their story is brought to the light, and they are respectfully and compassionately removed from the host’s energy field and sent to the light (or their version of heaven). After the removal, the suffering being will not be able to return to the host or any other person. The suffering being wins by getting “unstuck” and moving forward with their spiritual journey.

The client wins because this work clears them forever of the heavy overshadowing energy, the emotions thoughts and feelings of the suffering being. The client often feels lighter, and more centered in their own body, more in control of their own mental, physical and emotional health. Their energy is no longer being sapped.

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I share this information with you because I have seen the powerful results that occur when suffering beings are removed from a person’s energy field and sent to the light. Compassionate depossession can be a potent life changing healing experience.

If you feel in need of compassionate depossession for yourself, please contact me through my website contact page. I will be happy to visit with you and we can decide how to proceed. This work can be done via distance healing if you live out of the central Iowa area.

I close with the words of a client after her own compassionate depossession experience. She had suffered from anxious thoughts for most of her 70 years:

“Fear is no longer my go-to emotion!”

Tips for working with power animals

Power Animal, Shamanic healing, Shamanic Journey, Spiritual Healing, Spiritual Wisdom, Spirtual Guidance

Has a power animal appeared for you? Why did that particular animal choose to work with you? What gifts and guidance do they bring you?

Monarch butterfly

I thought power animals were the product of fanciful and wishful and maybe even loony minds until Horse appeared at my side one day. I was out for a walk several days before a healing touch class in which I would experience a life-changing healing. It seemed like a normal summer’s day. Suddenly, a chestnut brown horse was walking close beside me. He seemed so real, I thought I could lean against him and smell his horsey scent, feel the texture of his course mane, hear his soft nicker, and scratch around his ears. But he was in spirit form; sent to guide, comfort and support me through my mind bending healing experience that was yet to come. He’s been a helper to me ever since.

If you don’t feel connected to a spirit animal, a shamanic practitioner can do a power animal retrieval for you. Or you can learn to do shamanic journeys and retrieve one for yourself. Remember, the animal actually chooses you, so be open to whoever comes your way offering their services. It could just as easily be snake, vulture, spider, or mouse, as wolf, bear or eagle!

Power animals are compassionate spirit guides that have taken on animal form. Each creature has special attributes and powers (superpowers!) that can help you with your unique needs. No list or book of animal attributes can capture the full meaning your power animal has for you. Be open to listening, learning and building a relationship with your helper. You will be richly rewarded!

Squirrel

To Connect: You can use journaling to connect, or go into a daydream state with a question ready. Do this at a time of day when you can be quiet for awhile. Connect directly by learning to do shamanic journeys.

Ask the power animal what you can do for them. After all the relationship is a two way street.

Always be respectful of your helpers. Thank them for their presence, their support, their advice. They have chosen to work with you, and that is an honor.

Questions: When you first visit with your helper, ask how they can help you and what gifts they bring to you. Ask what they want from you. After that you can ask other questions. “Why” questions don’t usually work too well. Try to re-word them: (Can you help me understand…? Show me about… )

Red winged blackbird

The answers may come to you in several different ways such as a picture or “movie” in your head, words, emotions, impressions, etc. Accept what comes. It won’t always be earth shattering. It might be quiet at times. It might take some time for the answer to become clear to you. The more you work with your helper, the easier it will be for you to know what they are communicating to you.

Follow the advice you are given if possible. Remember that your power animal will never ask you to do something that harms you or another person or living thing. If you get something like this, it is not coming from your power animal.

Disconnect: When you’re done visiting your power animal, thank them, say goodbye, open your eyes and take a drink of water, a bite of food, or dance around a little to get yourself back into this reality.

Above all, enjoy you power animal! They can bring you humor and fun, spot-on guidance and serious healing if you are open to their messages.

Blessings,

Betty

Resources:

Shamanic journeying by Sandra Ingerman ; Sounds True, Incorporated. 2006

Animal Speak by Ted Andrews; Llewellyn Publications. 2002

Is shamanic healing right for me?

Healing Touch, Shamanic healing, Shamanic Journey, Shamanism, Spiritual Healing, Spiritual Wisdom, Spirtual Guidance

Shamanic healing can be helpful for many people. The guidance of compassionate loving spirit helpers is channeled through the healer for your benefit. Since the helpers communicate in symbols, having a feel for images, symbols, and stories can be useful (but not necessary) if you are interested in receiving a session. Shamanic healing can be a unique and profound process, so it is helpful if you are receptive to new experiences.

Consider these questions:

Are you ready for change in your life? What changes do you desire?

Are you tired of feeling stuck? Where do you feel stuck? Are you willing to do what it takes to get “unstuck”?

Have been told “It’s all in your head.”? Do others discount you and tell you to “Buck up.”, or “Get over it!”?

Are you tired of feeling anxious and stressed? Do you believe it is possible to feel better? Do you believe that you deserve to feel better?

Have you tried other forms of medicine or alternative healing, but had no luck? Shamanic healing deals with the spiritual aspects of disease and disharmony. There is no pill for that!

Do you feel that something is missing in your life?

Do you ever feel the presence of energy that doesn’t belong to you?

A “yes” to any of these questions may indicate that you would benefit from shamanic healing or other forms of spiritual healing.

I will continue this series of posts with an in depth look at several shamanic healing techniques.

Blessings,

Betty

What is Shamanic Healing? How can it help me?

Healing, Mediumship, Shamanic healing, Shamanic Journey, Spiritual Healing, Spiritual Wisdom, Spirtual Guidance

Shamanic healing is spiritual healing.

Its been part of the human experience for tens of thousands of years. The healer works with masterful and wise spirit guides, light beings, and power animals for healing that goes beyond the physical realm to address the unseen energetic, emotional, and spiritual causes of disease. She acts as a channel for their images, stories, energy, and words. Shamanic healing is effective and potent healing that works on a deep soul level.

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How can it help me?

Shamanic Journeys are channeled stories meant just for you. They bring wisdom, insight, and healing energy. Journeys can surprise you with new perspectives and effective guidance for your life and bring you in touch with your deep inner wisdom

Soul Retrieval returns lost power to you and helps you feel whole again. During traumatic events, a part of your soul essence may be lost. The soul retrieval restores it to you.

Psychopomp or “spirit guide” work can clear your home and spaces of unwanted energies and remove overshadowing energy that holds you back. Spirits who are “stuck” here after death can be helped to cross to the light.

Energy Extraction can clear your energy field and body of stagnant energy.

Curse Unraveling can clear and heal negative ancestral patterns and past life problems.

Mediumship Messages from loved ones who’ve passed on are channeled to you through the practitioner.

Power Animal Retrieval brings you a spirit guide in animal form.

Toning and Healing with Spiritual Light can bring you a sense of peace, connection with the universe and well being.

Many of my clients have found that they feel less anxious, less stressed, and more tuned in to their own spiritual guidance and life path after receiving shamanic healing. It can be a life-changing process!

Blessings,

Betty

How I got off sugar, my story

Healing

First, a little history. My maternal grandmother, born in 1904, went hungry at times as a child. When she had children of her own, she made sure there was plenty of food for my mom & her brothers. Food meant survival. Sugar meant love!

Monarch butterfly on purple coneflower

As a child, I never went hungry. In fact, there was more than enough. We had fresh garden vegetables and fruit in summer, canned or frozen in winter, farm raised meat, fresh caught fish. Most of all, I remember the sweets; soft, melt in your mouth white cake with fudge frosting, creamy home-made caramels and nutty fudge at Christmas, every variety of cookie you can think of …. the list is almost endless. I ate and ate the sweet stuff, and as a teenager, I could sit on the kitchen counter with a bucket of chocolate swirl ice cream on my lap, eating each swirl to the bottom of the bucket, and then eating what was left… the boring vanilla. Embarrassing, but true. I could eat a batch of warm cookies, I could eat a two pound bag of M&Ms at one sitting. No brag, just fact. When they were gone, I’d want more, and I’d want it now!

It was a love affair– well- more like an obsession. The only problem was that after each binge, my energy crashed. The next day I’d have to sleep for hours, then when I finally got up, I was extremely crabby, angry, even. I wanted to lash out at the first person that crossed my path. My body was bloated, and I felt awful, I had bad acne, and no energy. I didn’t like myself. It took me awhile to put two and two together and realize that it was the excess sugar causing my energy to spike and crash.

I seemed to be the only one in my family that had this problem, so I had to figure out how to deal with it on my own. After leaving home, I started reading books about nutrition and food sensitivities. I decided I had a sensitivity to sugar, but still couldn’t wean myself from it. I read that sugar can be as addictive as cocaine! I’d try to cut back, but the cravings seemed overpowering. I had to have that sugar fix to feel better and have energy again – even temporarily.

Finally, I was finally able to get off sugar because I wanted to feel better more than I wanted the sugar!

I was sick and tired of feeling bad physically and emotionally every day of my life! If I didn’t kick the habit, I would alienate all the people around me and end up with diabetes or worse, I would hate myself.

The last sugary thing I ate was a piece of birthday cake at a party over 30 years ago. It was dark chocolate with green frosting. The cake didn’t even taste good! The unpleasant feelings and low energy the next day were the same. The sugar high was no longer worth it! I went cold turkey after that party.

The first week off sugar was extremely difficult, as my cravings took over and I had to distract myself from the screaming voice in my head. “Get a Heath Bar! Just one Peppermint Patty…Eat some sugar. You can’t live without it!!!” Finally, after maybe four or five days of physical and emotional withdrawal, the cravings let up a bit. I made it through the hardest period without back-sliding.

A wonderful goody basket from a neighbor. A real treat!

It took longer to learn healthier eating habits, new ways to celebrate holidays, new ways to treat myself, new ways to deal with unpleasant feelings the obsession with sugar was keeping hidden. Time passed and my energy level evened out. I no longer experienced the spikes and crashes, the extreme anger and low energy, the unpleasant physical sensations. I felt like a new woman – healthier and happier and best of all, free from sugar! It’s been over 30 years, and I don’t think twice about sugar any more. I don’t miss it, Can’t use it, don’t want it.

It is possible to work through the cravings and emotions underlying an addiction and triumph! When you get to the point where you want to feel better more than you want your substance of choice, you are ready to do the difficult work. It will be time to face those sometimes scary emotions you have been keeping at bay with your substance. You will be ready to change your life profoundly, for the better.

I recommend getting all the support you can when leaving an addiction behind. Support people might include loving friends who are on a healthy life path, your doctor, a therapist, an acupuncturist, a dietician, an energy healer, perhaps a massage therapist or other alternative healer.

Calm yourself in a few minutes

Energy Healing, Healing, Healing Touch, Health Tips, Wellness Tips

Are you feeling anxious?

Here’s an easy way to relieve stress. All you need are your hands, your heart and your voice.

pink water lily

Find a quiet comfortable place where you won’t be interrupted. Put both hands on your heart and breathe deeply from your belly. Soften and relax your body. Let any tension in your belly, chest, shoulders, neck and jaw and face melt away with each out breath. If you are frowning, let the muscles of your brow relax. This helps calm your mind.

Now tune in and ask your heart what it wants and needs today. The answer may come in the form of a picture in your mind, a memory, a song title, a sudden inspiration, an emotion, a feeling, an insight, a knowing. You may know right away what the answer is, or it may take a little longer for that to be clear. Listen deeply, don’t rush. Your heart is wise beyond the intellect and will never steer you wrong.

After a few minutes begin making an AH sound, keeping your hands on your heart chakra at the center of your chest. Let the sound resonate there. You might have to adjust the pitch up or down to feel it in the heart. Continue making the sound and feeling the vibrations in your heart until you feel calmer and more peaceful. (Do this step silently, or leave it out if you need a quick stress reliever at work.)

Making sounds that vibrate in the body, also called toning, helps calm and relax the mind, body and spirit. It’s fun to experiment with toning for each chakra, and for areas of your body that are tense or uncomfortable. Sound is energy, and it can be directed to any part of your body. Play with the sound of your voice and allow it to relax you.

For more information about toning see Jonathan Goldman’s books about sound healing including: The 7 Secrets of Sound Healing (2011), The Divine Name (2015), and Healing Sounds (2002). Also, check out his website at healingsounds.com.

In a household, everyone lives within a sea of energy. Everyone’s personal aura (or energy field) overlaps and picks up information from everyone else’s energy fields.

Do these yourself, then teach these easy exercises to your kids! They can help you calm stress and anxiety so you will be more on top of your game, more present in your body, and your children will react more peacefully to your calmer energy.

Heart hold and tone:

Figure eights:

Make figure 8s with your arms, swinging them out and around and crossing the center-line of your body. Swing your hips too if you like. Draw them in the air in front of your head, your neck, your upper body, lower body, legs, feet. Make them any size you like.

for areas of pain or tension, try Tiny figure 8s directly on the body using your fingertips. you can also draw them large on a chalkboard, whiteboard or sidewalk, using your whole body and getting your arms into it. Kids love this! This also helps strengthen your aura. (Eden)

Calming head hold:

When the fight or flight response kicks in; when you feel panicky or fearful, hold your forehead with one palm, and the base of the skull with the other. Hold and breathe for several minutes until you feel calmer and able to think more clearly. (Eden)

Self hug – two variations:

Try taking a family drum circle break to get everyone energized, their sense of humor restored, and back on track.

One Thanksgiving over twenty years ago, several extended family members came to visit my home, spend time together, and share a meal. An hour or two after our big holiday feast, everyone hit the wall, with low energy levels. The conversation lagged. Nap time seemed to be upon us.

To stir things up I brought out my stash of rhythm instruments; tambourines, clappers, drums, rattles, maracas, and a guiro, and let everyone choose.

As a bonus, you might do a project to make your own rhythm instruments.

Try making a kazoo from a toilet paper tube with a hole punched close to one end and a square of wax paper or parchment paper rubber banded over the other end. Hum your favorite tunes into it!

Even if you’re alone, you can raise your vibrations by making rhythmic beats in fun and playful ways. Create a rhythm that feels good in your body and continue until your energy has shifted and you are feeling lifted up.

You might also find a drumming track and try some dancing and moving around in ways that feel good to you and express what you’re feeling. Do this for yourself and no-one else. Sing if you like!

Remember, you and your family don’t have to be great dancers or drummers to energize yourselves and have fun. Everyone from babies old enough to hold a rattle to great grandparents can join in the fun!

The interconnected rhythms with unique beats and movements contributed by each person can tie us together, feed our spirits, anchor us in the present moment, and energize our bodies.

Let the rhythm sound and movement carry you and your family to the place you want to be.

Since I’m used to living a quiet calm life and meditating often, spending lots of time with these bright, talkative, and rambunctious kids, their friends, a tiny yappy dog, and heavy city traffic, resulted in me becoming grumpy a few times.

When we or our children are out of sorts, feeling anxious, disconnected from our bodies, overwhelmed, unfocused, grounding helps us reconnect to our power source, planet Earth.

1. Hug a large deeply rooted tree or sit and lean against the tree’s trunk. If you’re feeling adventurous, climbing a tree and spending time in the branches is grounding too because the tree’s energy is fully grounded, deeply connected to the electromagnetic energy of the earth.

2. Pretend to be a tree. First ask your kids to imagine their tree self has weak or shallow roots and a big wind comes along… what happens?

3. Play in nature, walk barefoot on a beach or a grassy yard, lay on the ground and check out the clouds, tree branches, flying birds, moon or stars, soaking in the Earth’s magnetic energy. (use bug protection if needed) I promise, you will feel better!

4. Rub the soles of your bare feet with a stainless steel spoon. (One a magnet will stick to.)

5. Plant a garden, tiny or large and tend it – get close to the soil and the sweet green living plants that share our planet.

6. Swim in the ocean, a lake or pond

When your you or your kids feel spacey, out of body, anxious, agitated, unfocused, grumpy, take a few moments to ground yourself. Bring awareness to your body and heart, breathe deeply, and connect with your power source, Mother Earth.

At a subtle level, our aura, chakras, meridians, and other energy systems support our physical, emotional, spiritual, and mental health. If our energy is not flowing freely or is out of balance, we will eventually feel it in our bodies and we may become ill in time.

Calming for stress and anxiety –

Energy healing is wonderful for natural stress relief, for calming the nervous system and helping your body and mind relax without the use of drugs. It is not a cure, but helps ease anxiety and quiet distracting mental chatter, gently re-patterning your energy system into healthier habits.

Relief for fatigue and energetic depletion.

Energy healing is also aura healing – The electromagnetic energy in a healer’s hands along with a strong intention for healing can help clear the aura of stagnant energy, allowing fresh energy to flow and respond more freely to the ever changing conditions of your life.

Holistic care (mind body spirit, emotions) for high stress transitions or major changes in your life – a move, divorce, new job, new baby, or the loss of a loved one.

Energy healing techniques, such as mind clearing, chakra spread, chakra connection, heart chakra healing, and many others can help during times of high stress by calming anxiety and feelings of uncertainty and fear.

These techniques promote relaxation, release of energetic “clutter” and emotional pain. Energy healing can help you feel more energized and clear during uncertain times.

Heart chakra healing and energy clearing for times of grief, times you feel broken-hearted or overwhelmed.

Support for trauma care and emotional release.

My energy healing practices allow for the safe release of emotions and stagnant energy relating to the trauma in my peaceful supportive and sacred space. This work helps you gently release the tangled energies of the past over time, and move on with your life.

Subtle energy assessment, healing, and clearing for times you are not feeling well and your doctor can’t find anything wrong.

This happened to me – I had a chronic sore throat and fatigue one summer. My doctor did many tests over weeks and couldn’t find a reason for my condition.

If no-one believes your story, if you are not taken seriously, if you know something is wrong but the medical professionals can’t figure it out, consider energy healing as a complement to your doctor’s care.

Complement cancer care with aura clearing and chakra balancing.

Using energy healing techniques, I help clear and balance the aura and chakras of cancer patients after chemo treatments and surgery (which can be very hard on your subtle energy systems). Energetic pain relief techniques can provide an easing of pain without extra drugs.

Energy healing can keep your energy flowing after and between treatments, supporting emotional release, mental, spiritual, and emotional health. Finally, with deep listening, I hold sacred space for you as you work through your healing journey.

These are some of the many ways energy healing can benefit you and your loved ones and enhance your well being. My clients have found this work to be effective, helpful and life affirming.

Have you felt empty, off balance, or lost since you experienced a trauma or injury?

Are you at a crossroads in life, unsure about your direction, unable to make a decision?

Do you have energy that does not belong to you?

1. You feel something vital is missing in your life or that part of you died when a loss or trauma occurred.

2. You feel powerless at times

3. You feel that you have energy that does not belong to you, that is holding you back or overshadowing you.

4. You are at a crossroads in life, not sure how to move forward, what choices to make.

5. Tough problems seem to be stuck in the cells of your body, are persistent and difficult to shift. These issues may come from the lives and unresolved problems of your ancestors or from your own past lives.

6. You have a feeling that you or your family have been cursed in some way

7. You sense that there are wandering spirits, (aka ghosts) or “negative” energy in your home or a space that you frequent.

Shamanic healing is effective, drug free, life affirming, and promotes wholeness in mind body and spirit.

If you are overwhelmed, feel cut off from your body, if you are seeking spiritual guidance, shamanic healing may be a good fit for you.

Be safe, we will get through this!

You are probably an empath if…

Three ways to keep yourself clear as an empath.

1. Stay grounded

2. Strengthen your aura

3. Set boundaries with other people, your life energy, your time.

Gifts of empaths

What are shamanic journeys? Where did journeying come from?

Why ask the spirits for help?

Why learn to journey?

How can journeying help me? Several stories…

Practical advice

Shift in perspective on the everyday dilemmas of life:

Spiritual messages can that help shift your focus.

Healing Energy

Healing is a gentle opening to your wise and true self, a letting go of all that blocks your spirit. If you are alive on this planet, in a body, you can heal.

Getting to know each other

Your comfort is important!

Permission to touch

To begin

Energy assessment

Communicating